A central Wisconsin produce seller has pleaded not guilty to charges that he underpaid many of his farmer-customers who sold potatoes to his company. Thomas Lundgren of Columbus entered his pleas in Portage County Circuit Court this week, after being
charged last fall with 10 counts of theft.

Lundgren, 54, is accused of withholding more than $700,000 in payment to nine growers between August 2011 and October 2012. He owned Spud City Sales in Stevens Point at the time.

The farmers in the suit claim they were supposed to be paid for their potatoes within 30 days, but never received their checks.

As Wisconsin Ag Connection reported in October, Lundgren blamed his financial troubles on a lawsuit filed against him by an Ohio grower, as well as his divorce.

Reports say he faced similar charges in Portage County four years ago, but that case was dismissed.